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I ZSheets Sh'eetL- S. CLEMINSHAW. improvement in Button-HoleSewing-Machines.

Patented June 25,1872.

Witnesses:

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Attorneys.

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Improvement in Button-Hole Sewing-Machines.

NO. 128,363, Patented June 25,1872.

Witnesses; z;

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIoE.

SHERMAN OLEMINSHAW, OF TROY, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT lN BUTTON-HOLE SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 128,363, dated June 25,1872; antedated J one 15, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SHERMAN CLEMIN- SHAW, of Troy, in the county ofItensselaer and in the State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Button-H ole Sewing-Machines; and do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and eX- act descriptionthereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to theletters of reference marked thereon making a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in certain improvements upon thebutton-hole sewin g-machine for which Letters Patent were granted to meJanuary 3, 1871, and which machine uses one thread which passes from ashuttle having an eye-pointed needle, and carried and operated by theneedle-bar, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which myinventionappertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe itsconstruction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in whichFigure l is a rear elevation of my machine, and Figs. 2 to 14 are viewsof various detached parts of my machine, which will be fully describedin this specification.

, In this I do not deem it necessary to describe those parts to which Inow lay no claim, as they havebeen fully described in my former patent,above referred to.

A represents a large cam-wheel, provided on one side with a groove, a,substantially of the formation shown in Fig. 7. In this groove works astud, a, upon the side of a vertical slide-bar, B, which moves ingrooves b 12 made for that purpose in the frame-work of the machine. Theupper one of these grooves, with a portion of the frame, is shown inFig. 12. To the slide-bar B is attached a cross-bar, O, which extendsthrough a vertical slot in that part of the frame in which the slide Bmoves. At the outer end of the cross-bar O is the shuttle-bar l), havingat its lower end the shuttle-holder E, with its points d d andbearing-surface e. The shuttle rests against the bearing-surface andupon the points cl d, and is held rigid while the needle passes throughthe cloth, but is loose while the needle is above the cloth, the needlebeing attached to the shuttle in the same manner as in my former patent.

It will be seen that by the arrangement 0 the vertical sliding bar B,cross-bar (J, and shuttle-bar D with the shuttle-holder E the needle andshuttle are carried up and down without the intervention of jointedlevers or other devices that would require the use of oil, and alsomakes the connection between the needle-bar and cam direct.

Through the shuttle-bar D and slide-bar B passes a rod, f, upon which isathumb-piece, G, with a rod, 9, passing through its lower end parallelwith the rod f. Surrounding the rod f, between the thumb-piece G and theshuttlebar D, is a spiral spring, h, as shown in Fig. 3. The rear end ofthe rod f bears against a pin, t, in the upper end of a lever, H, whichis pivoted to a projection, is, on the rear side of the slide-bar B.Upon the lower end of the lever H is a button, roller, or other suitabledevice, m, which bears against a raised camsurface, it, on the oppositeside of the wheel A, of substantially the construction shown in Fig. 8.This cam-surface presses back the button and lever against the rod f,causing the steady-rod g to make the shuttle and needle rigid whilepassing through the cloth, and relieves it again just before the loop isready to pass over the shuttle. The thumb-piece G and spring h are toallow the shuttle and needle'to be taken out and replaced by lifting itup or drawing it toward the operator, the said thumbpiece being soarranged as to turn on the rod 7, but not move endwise on the same. Inthe lower end of the shuttle I is a tension-stud, p, with steel Washer rand rubber ring 8, as shown in Figs. I and 5. The thread is passedbetween the lower surface of the shuttle and the steel washer r, and bymeans of the stud p the tension of the thread is readily regulated. Onthe same shaft which has the wheel A is a cam, J, which operates a bar,K, the upper end of which is pivoted to an arm, t, on a collar, o,placed on a short shaft in a bearing attached to the frame. To the samecollar is attached the beater-bar L. The cam J, pushing up the bar K,throws down the beater-bar L in the right time, and beats or lays thelooped stitch over the edge of the goods. M is a wheel placed on themain shaft, and provided with a cam-groove, w, of the peculiar formationshown in Fig. 6, or substantially the same. In this groove works a stud,w, on the side of a sliding bar, N, and onthe same stud, between the barand wheel, is placed a pitman, O, the upper end of which is slotted andplaced on a crank, P, attached to a rod, 3 This rod passes through thevertical sliding bar B and the upper end of the shuttle-bar D, and hasat its front end the vertical take-up bar B. This rod or bar y is placedhorizontally, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and made to rock by-the motionof the crank and pitman.

' Upon the rocking-bar y is an adjustable collar, 2, between which andthe shuttle-bar is a spring, I), surrounding the rocking-bar. The partshere described operate to take up the slack thread and hold onto ituntil the proper time to let it go, the spring I) and collar 2regulating the degree of tension with which the beater-bar L lays thestitch over the edge of the goods, for it will be noticed that thetakeup bar B will yield slightly by means of the pin in the crank Pworking in the slotted hole in the upper end of the pitman O, as shown'in Fig. 11. S represents the lifting-bar, which moves the twister T bymeans of its pin d working in the spiral groove 0 on said twister, thelifting-bar lifting up the loop from the hook of the twister. Thelifting-bar Sis by a bar, V, connected with a vertical sliding bar, W,which moves in the frame, and has a stud,j, working in the groove to ofthe camwheel A.

It may here be remarked that all the studs mentioned as working ingrooves are provided with friction-rollers.

X represents a plate, through which the lifting-bar S moves up and downand under the front edge of which the twister T operates. From the holein this plate in which the lifting-bar moves to the front edgeimmediately over the twister is a slot, g, which guides the loop andcontracts it While being drawn up, and also prevents the thread fromfalling off the forks of the lifting-bar until the forks have raisedhigh enough to keep the thread from falling off. At the end of themachine-frame are two center-pointed screws, 3 y, between which isplaced a short vertical shaft or bar, Z. ()n this shaft is placed asleeve or collar, A, which is adjusted and held at any desired height onthe swinging bar Z by means of a screw, 11/, shown in Fig. 10. From thiscollar A extends a horizontal arm, B, Fig. 14, which is tubular for acertain distance at its outer end, and has a shoulder, z", formed aroundits outer circumference, as shown in Fig. 15. Over the arm B is placed ahollow sleeve, 0, extending from close to the collar A to and flush withthe shoulder 11 on the arm. On the outer end of the arm is placed ashort tube, D, coming at its inner end close to the shoulder i and.outer end of the sleeve, and its outer end is flush with the outer endof the arm. In the tubular end of the arm B is inserted a rod or pin,70, upon the outer end of which is: formed the needle-hole tip E. Thistip consists of a steel disk with a flange around its edge extendingoutward from the outer faceof the disk. In the upper side of the tip isa hole and slot, m, for the needle to pass through, while on the underside the flange forms a lip, n, with a notch or groove on its underside, which is to catch on the steady-point 9 formed on the plate G, asshown in Fig. 14. This plate, with point, is made adjustable up and downfor a purpose that will be hereinafter described. At suitable points onthe sleeve 0 are two arms, H and I, both extending on both sides of thesleeve, as shown in Figs. 1

and 10. The ends of both of these arms are slotted, and in each end ofthe arm H is pivoted a lever, J, the inner or rear end of which isplaced in the end of the arm I, while on the outer end is attached aclutch or jaw, K. The jaws K are each held by a pin and screw, or othersuitable means, and their under sides are at the outer edge toothed orcorrugated to hold the cloth to the tube D, the outer edges of the jawsbeing at or nearly at the outer end of said tube. Under the inner end ofeach lever J, in a hole or recess made in the arm I, is placed a spring,1", which springs throw the outer ends of the levers inward, so that thejaws will grasp the cloth or other material with sufficient firmness.Around one end of the arm I is placed a stirrup, L, with an inward-projectin g pin, 8, fitting in a recess made in the inner end of the leveron that side. The sides of the stirrup are held to the sides of the armI by means of screws passing through slots in the stirrup, thus allowingthe same to slide up and down. Between the ends of the stirrup L, at theopposite end of the arm I, is pivoted an eccentric dog or lever, M,which bears against the inner end of the other lever J. By the use ofthe eccentric dog or lever the outer ends of the levers J J may beturned outward from the tube D. Upon the inner end of the sleeve 0 areattached two ratchet-wheels, N N, side by side, and on the inner sidethereof is first placed loosely a plate or bar, 0, and then firmlyattached a small wheel, 'P. Upon this wheel P operates a brake, R,attached to the collar A, and the tension of the same regulated. bymeans of the screw t, shown in Fig. 1. To the side of the plate or bar 0is pivoted a pawl, 11, pressed by a spring, w, against the ratchetwheelN. This pawl is made in two parts-one part pivoted to the plate and theother pivoted to the first-so that it can be turned to engage witheither one of the ratchet-wheels. To the plate 0 is also pivoted astop-bar, m, which may be turned so as to throw the pawl away from theratchetwheels. The plate 0 is, by a rod, S, connect ed with one end of alever, T, which is pivoted to the rear part of the frame, as shown inFig.

' 9. The other end of this lever is pivoted to a rod, V,-which moves ina guide, y, and is operated upon by a cam, W, on the main shaft. Thiscam drives or pushes out the rod V at the proper time, moving the leverand connecting-rod so as to cause the pawl on the ratchet-wheel toproduce a rotary motion to the cloth-holder. In the extreme left end ofthe frame is a cross-shaft or rod, X, with a knob or handle, Y, on itsouter end and an arm, Z, on its inner end. This shaft may be turned soas to cause the arm Z to drop down between the rear part of the frameand an upright arm, 2, on the connecting-rod S, for a purpose thatwillbe hereinafter described. A spring, a is attached to the lever T tobring it back in place after the cam W has passed the rod V. Thebutton-hole is placed on the tip-end E of the cloth-holder, the edgesbeing even with the edge of the tip. The two levers J J are thenlet downby the eccentric lever or dog M, theclutches or jaws K K griping thegoods tight and preventing the cloth or other material from being pulledout while the buttonhole is being worked. The whole cloth-holder is thenswung in under the needle until the clutch or notch on the under side ofthe lip n drops onto the steady-point p, and remains firmly in its placewhile the needle is passing through the cloth or other material. Themovement of the connecting-rod S rotates the clothholder two notches inthe ratchet-wheel at each revolution of the machine, thus producing thestitch. The pawl '0 can be turned so as to work on either wheel-onewheel containing a greater and the other a less number of teeth thusallowing the length of the stitch to be varied. The tip E is to beremoved and a larger or smaller tip put on for different-sized holes,the loose tube D being at the same time removed and replaced by anothercorresponding to the size of the tip. Upon changing the tip the wholerotating holder is raised or lowered, as the case may be, upon theswinging shaft or bar Z, and the steady-point p is adjusted so as towork into the notch on the under side of the tip E. The jaws K K arealso to be taken off and replaced by others corresponding to the size ofthe tip every time the tip is changed. The stop-bar w is to throw offthe pawl to allow the cloth-holder to be moved backward. The rod X isturned so as to cause the arm Z to fall behind the arm 2 on the rod Sfor the purpose of reducing the length of the stitch to one-half whilepassing the corners of the button-hole, thus making a more compact bar.The brake R and wheel P are to steady the revolving cloth-holder at eachstroke of the pawl-on the ratchet-wheels.

' The work being placed on the cloth-holder in themanner above'describedand the clothholder locked in position, the machine is ready for work.As the needle descends it becomes rigid by the action of the lever H, asabove described, just as it is to penetrate the goods.

wire books or carriers. As this bar descends and turns the twister, andas the thread is deposited in the circumferential groove mentioned, thebooks or carriers pass down in vertical grooves on the outside of thetwister until they are below the thread, when they at once rise again,catching the thread and lifting it up above the twister. As soon as thethread has been cleared from the twister the twister resumes itsoriginal position, the carriers rising with the thread,- and as soon asthe twister has been brought back to its first position the needledescends to its lowest point, the carriers continuing to rise until theyare above the rear end of the shuttle. The shuttle and needle having,immediately after the needle penetrates the goods, become loose, thethread is, during the upward movement of the carriers and downwardmovement of the needle, just described, brought as a loop over the upperside of the shuttle. As the needle now ascends the take-up bar R andbeater-bar L operate to lay and tighten the stitch. As the loop iscarried upward by the hooks, forks, or carriers on the lifting-bar S itis guided by the slot g in the plate X and prevented from falling offthe carriers.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the camAa', vertical sliding bar B, cross-bar G,and shuttle-bar D, having shuttle-holder E, with its points d d andbearing-surface c, all substantially as and for the purposes herein setforth.

2. The combination of the cam A 12, button I m or its equivalent, leverH with pin 0', sliding rod f, thumb-piece G, spring h, and steady-rod g,all substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

3. The tension-stud 1), steel washer 1', and rubber ring s, arranged, asdescribed, on the under side of the shuttle I, substantially as and forthe purposes herein set forth.

4. The combination of the cam J, bar K, collar 'v, with arm t and thebeater-bar L, all substantially as and for the purposes herein setforth.

5. The combination of the cam M 10, vertical sliding bar N, pitman Owith slotted hole in its upper end, the crank 1?, horizontal rock-bar y,collar 2, spring 11, and vertical take-up bar R, all substantially asand for the purposes herein set forth.

6. The combination of the lifting-bar S, connecting-bar V, verticalsliding bar W, and cam A a, all substantially as and for the purposesherein set forth.

7. The shaft X with arm Z, used in combination with the arm z on the rodS, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

8. A horizontally-rotating shaft-like clothholder capable of being swungout and in, in the manner described, to remove and put on the cloth,substantially as herein set forth.

9. The collar A, provided with the horizontal arm 13 having shoulder i,and adjusted up and down on the vertical shaft Z, which swings or turnson the center-pointed screws Y Y, substantially as and for the purposesherein set forth. 10. The tip E, consisting of a flanged inetallic diskhaving needle-hole m and notched or grooved lip n, and provided with therod 70. to be inserted in the tubular end of the arm B, substantially asand for the purposes herein set forth.

11. The sleeve 0, provided with arms H and I and the tube D, both placedupon the swinging arm B, substantially as and for the purposes hereinset forth.

12. The levers J J pivoted in the ends of the arm H, and provided attheir outer ends with the clutches or jaws K K, substantially as and forthe purposes herein set forth.

13. The combination of the stirrup L with pin 8, the springs r r, andthe eccentric 1ever M, all constructed and arranged as described, tooperate the levers J J for the purposes herein set forth.

14. The combination of the wheel P and brake It, when constructed andarranged upon a swinging and revolving cloth-holder, substantially asand for the purposes herein set forth.

15. The pawl mmade in two parts so as to be adjusted to either of theratchet-wheels N N, substantially as and for the purposes herein setforth.

16. The combination of the ratchet-wheels N N having unequal number ofteeth, the adjustable pawl 1;, spring w and stop-bar 11:, allconstructed and arranged substantially as and for the purposes hereinset forth.

17. The adjustable plate G, provided with the steady-point p and workingin the notch of the lip E, substantially as and for the purposes hereinset forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this25th day of October, 1871.

SHERMAN OLEMINSHAW.

Witnesses:

O. L. EVERT, A. N. MARK.

